When Did Pinky and the Brain Come Out?
Pink and the Brain were introduced to the world in the “Animaniacs” story, “Big Win.” The dimwitted Pinky and the hyper-intelligent Brain were attempting to win $99,000 so the Brain could finish his device and take over the world. The segment originally aired on Sept. 14, 1993.
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In the end, the Brain ends up losing the game when he doesn’t know what a classic TV character is known for saying, “Bang! Zoom! Right in the kisser!” Funny enough, Pinky does know the answer.
What Are Pinky and Brain?
Pinky and the Brain are two genetically spliced laboratory mice. The Brain comes up with various plans to take over the world, and Pinky follows along as his sidekick.
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The “Pinky and the Brain” characters were inspired by the peculiar personalities of producer Tom Ruegger’s “Tiny Toon Adventures” colleagues, Eddie Fitzgerald and Tom Minton. Ruegger wondered what would happen if these “Pinky and the Brain” inspirations tried to take over the world.
The Pinky and the Brain Spinoff Show
Pinky and the Brain eventually received their own spinoff show from Warner Bros. Animation and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment. “Pinky and the Brain” was faithful to the original “Animaniacs” segments that featured the two lab mice, with humor that appealed to children and adults.
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From one-dimensional figures to fully realized characters, Pinky and Brain evolved, showing off distinct voices, and Pinky even claiming a beloved catchphrase.
Who Voiced Pinky?
Much of the original cast from “Animaniacs” reprised their roles for “Pinky and the Brain.” Pinky was voiced by Rob Paulsen. The voice was slightly changed to be less “cockney.” Pinky has several verbal tics, which include using phrases like “narf,” “zort,” “point,” and “troz.”
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Paulsen won several awards for his voice acting work on “Pinky and the Brain,” including several Annie Awards and a Daytime Emmy in 1999.
Who Voiced the Brain?
Maurice LaMarche is a Canadian American voice actor who provided his voice to the Brain. Brain’s voice became higher, and less Orson Welles. LeMarche describes the voice as “one-third Vincent Price and two-thirds Orson Welles” (via Animaniacs Wiki).
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LaMarche won an Annie Award and was nominated for an Emmy for his voice work. The same voice for Brain with an accent would be used to voice Father in “Codename: Kids Next Door.”
Why Was the Pinky and the Brain Cartoon Popular?
While the theme song was extremely popular, the humor of the cartoon appealed to both adults and children. For adults, the topical humor was pulled right from news headlines or poking at modern Hollywood royalty.
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From referencing the O.J. Simpson trial to the Donner party jokes, the cartoon’s writers were smart and on-top of the pop culture. “Heck, one episode even had the word ‘damn’ in it,” LeMarche says. “Brain actually said, ‘Damn,’ which was when we were trying to be a bit more ‘Simpsons’-like.”
Most Memorable Pinky and the Brain Quotes
Pinky and the Brain had some memorable quotes that etched their way into our hearts during the show’s run from 1993 to 1998. While the most memorable quotes include, “Are you pondering what I’m pondering,” there are a few lines that still make us laugh.
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One quote that can summarize the entire series is when Pinky asks, “Gee Brain, what are we gonna do tonight.” Brain responds, “The same thing we do every night, try to take over the world!”
Best Episodes of Pinky and the Brain
Some of the best episodes of television are the ones we can make into T-shirts, memes, or references to other pieces of work. “Pinky and the Brain” is no expectation. The series has some great moments.
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“Snowball” and “TV or Not TV” both show off the strengths of the writers of the cartoon. Both shows have great setups and payoffs, drama to keep the audience entertained, and jokes a minute.
The Pinky and the Brain Theme Song
The theme song for the popular animated series was composed by Richard Stone and featured the memorable vocals of Jess Harnell and Paulsen. The catchy tune has some clever lyrics that allude to the constant pursuit and failure of world domination.
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While the song is fairly straightforward, the infectious melody is widely recognized and cherished by fans.
Is There a Pinky and the Brain Movie?
There is not a “Pinky and the Brain” movie. While there has been a lot of talk of the two lab mice coming back after “Animaniacs” was rebooted, there has been very little confirmed about a reboot series or film.
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However, Collider writer Lloyd Farley believes it is time the comedic duo comes back after two decades in retirement. Farley suggests that the movie could perfectly satirize the current divide and self-righteous society of our current culture. It could be an almost perfect recipe for world domination.
Where to Watch Pinky and the Brain
Luckily, “Pinky and the Brain” is streaming on Max. However, there are other places where you can watch the show. You can also rent to watch the series on Amazon, Apple+, Google Play, or Crunchyroll.
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Hopefully in the upcoming years, we will see a return of our two favorite lab mice. With “Animaniacs” getting a series revival, we might actually see the mice dominate the world … maybe.